by Ken Wettig | Dec 24, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
Most Christians in America have experienced some variation of the following scene during a recent Christmas Eve. You just left a Christmas Eve service, having sung “O Holy Night” with all of your might, tears streaming down your face astounded by the...
by Coracle | Dec 21, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this Advent Offering– recorded on December 17, 2020– Bill Haley guides us through a worshipful experience of Advent and Christmas carols new and old, to help us encounter anew the gift of Christ’s birth and to whet our appetites for His second Advent. If...
by Bill Haley | Dec 17, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
It’s not a question of “If?” but rather “When?” and “Where?” Is it going to be in Safeway, or the Starbucks, or while wandering the hall of some shopping mall, past pilgrims lugging their gifts of Godiva, fragrances, and merino wool? It’ll probably happen after the...
by Coracle | Dec 11, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
On Dec 9th, Drew Masterson (Coracle Dir. of Communications & Development) and Rick Mastroianni (Coracle Spiritual Director) discussed the role of the imagination and creativity in the Christian life. They share Rick’s poem “Joseph Speaks” as an...
by Drew Masterson | Dec 2, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
The Advent Season presents us with the invitation to slow down, to shear away the clutter and noise of our lives enough to dwell on some of the richest themes in human existence. We can observe how these themes play out in the grand drama of Scripture, as well as in...
by Coracle | Nov 30, 2020 | Contemplative Life
In these Simple Soundings devotionals, Coracle staff and Spiritual Directors offer bite-sized reflections to be enjoyed at any time, to help keep your spirit nourished on the Journey with God. “Simple Soundings” Devotional...
by Karla Petty | Nov 24, 2020 | Contemplative Life
This week our nation will take a day or two away from its normal rhythms to focus on thankfulness. Many of you have been able to join us for our Tuesday morning “Space for God” devotionals, and this week I took a page from Ann Voskamp’s wonderful book, “One Thousand...
by Rick Mastroianni | Nov 19, 2020 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God” devotional, Rick Mastroianni (a Spiritual Director with Coracle) guides us through the transformative practice of praying the historic “Jesus Prayer.” He introduces us to scriptures from which the prayer is derived and...
by Bill Haley | Nov 12, 2020 | Church Unity, Contemplative Life, Justice and Mercy, Vocation
In May 2014, I had the opportunity to preach on this question, and I did something I’d never done before and haven’t done since. I wrote the sermon first as a long essay, writing it as completely as possible so I could get it all out on the page, and unsurprisingly...
by Coracle | Nov 10, 2020 | Contemplative Life
On the evening of November 5th, 2020– two days after election day and two days before the election results would be called– we gathered for what we had been calling a “Post-Election Palette Cleanser.” This was an opportunity to tune-out all of the noise...
by Coracle | Nov 9, 2020 | Contemplative Life
by Lan-Vy Ngo I walk until I reach the bench I love and sit down. Relaxing against it, I feel completely at peace. Before me is the Rhone Valley of Switzerland, a breathtaking expanse of green plains, spruce trees, and wooden chalets spread out before the...
by Bill Haley | Oct 29, 2020 | Contemplative Life
If your life is going great right now and all is well and you feel like you’re up for anything and can do most anything, stop reading and file this away for when that season ends and life feels quite a bit more overwhelming, or maybe read on and remember it for later...
by Bill Haley | Oct 22, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Creation
I sojourned to south-central Montana in mid-September. The break came at the end of an unexpectedly intense seven weeks, and before a seven-week stretch that I knew would be intense, and unexpectedly became much more so. I needed this time to rest, to immerse myself...
by Kelly Gould | Oct 19, 2020 | Contemplative Life
A little over three years ago, my life got pulled out from under my feet. I experienced one loss after another, starting with the sudden death of my father. One sweet friend asked a few months into this winter season of life how I wasn’t cowering in a corner from...
by Karla Petty | Oct 13, 2020 | Contemplative Life
Have you ever left a pile of papers or blankets or clothes in a corner of your home and then proceeded to forget all about it? It never goes anywhere, but we lose the ability (or the will) to see it properly. So too with God’s presence in our homes. All space...
by Bill Haley | Oct 1, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Justice and Mercy
[Author’s Note 10/5/20: I was saddened by the news of President Trump’s and the First Lady’s positive coronavirus results, and am praying for their health, safety, and a swift recovery. Let us all be in prayer for these things. This reflection has been...
by Coracle | Sep 28, 2020 | Contemplative Life
Since the fall of 2020, we have offered weekly opportunities to make “Space for God” at the start of our day. We gather online every Tuesday morning from 8:30-9:00 AM (ET) and every other Thursday at 8:30-9:00 AM (PT)Join Us at Next Tuesday’s...
by Bill Haley | Sep 16, 2020 | Contemplative Life
DOWNLOAD THIS REFLECTION >> And when Jesus got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we...
by Karla Petty | Sep 14, 2020 | Contemplative Life
I experienced the passage of time through a wide variety of tempos these last six months. March was Allegretto – “moderately fast”. April through June was Adagio – “slowly with great expression”. July through August was Andante – at a walking pace. And now we’re...
by Drew Masterson | Sep 3, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Justice and Mercy
On Friday, August 31st, Bill Haley and I had the opportunity to join around 120 pastors, ministry leaders, and laypeople to walk the 9 miles from Old Town Alexandria to Black Lives Matter Plaza out in front of the White House as part of Walk the Walk 2020. Bill has...
